Barton Snow storms to famous Cheltenham-Aintree double

Barton Snow completed the Cheltenham-Aintree double when strolling to a remarkably easy success in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase.

Joe O’Shea’s nine-year-old is unbeaten in hunter chases and struck at the Cheltenham Festival last month when ridden by Henry Crow.

The same jockey did the steering at Aintree as his mount went off the 7-4 favourite, and a follow-up triumph came with the minimum of fuss as he cantered home on the bridle to prevail by seven lengths.

O’Shea said: “I don’t know how good this horse is, no one does yet. He does this every day at home.

“If NASA had phoned me I could have got them there in nine days instead of 10! He’s amazing. Henry said he was only in third gear.

“We realised he was very good when he won at Stratford last year, beating a good horse of Paul Nicholls’ in Viroflay. The camera was on him and clocked him going 37.2mph at the last hard held.

“When I heard how fast Constitution Hill was going the other day, this horse can keep it up at that pace. We just don’t know how good he is.”

Recent health issues had made O’Shea announce at Cheltenham that he was soon to quit and he added: “The surgeon said I’ve got to walk away or die, I’ve had a quadruple heart bypass and the stress puts me under too much pressure.

“We’ve got one even better at home, by the same sire Snow Sky, he’s called Boley Bob, he’s won four and is going to Hexham in two weeks where he’ll win.

“If I do decide to stay it’s not because of Barton Snow, it’s because of Boley Bob.”

As for the future for Barton Snow, O’Shea said: “It’s hard enough beating the Irish here never mind over there so I don’t know about Punchestown, but the Horse & Hound Cup (at Stratford) is too far for him, so if it was good ground at Punchestown the prize-money could be tempting.”